Charleston

The spring & summer of 2015 held a whirlwind of changes for our family. We were full force in The Gathering Place yet something didn’t seem right. Mark & I had discussed (actually Mark discussed, I nodded) moving in the past but I really was never really ready to say goodbye to Sarasota & all the memories that this small town held. I was content. My family was not.

But I am getting ahead of myself….

In the spring of 2015, Mark & I went on a pastors retreat with our network churches like we had done in the previous years, but this year was very different. There was a “stirring” both in my husband’s heart and mine. Stirrings are common occurrences for Mark. If he isn’t being “stirred” then there is something REALLY WRONG. Yet, if you know anything about me, you know that stirrings are uncomfortable, icky feelings for me.

Yet, here I was, just me and this “stirring”.

Jeremiah Johnson was the guest speaker at our retreat. Let me tell you, he is a very dynamic, spirit filled man. I will never forget the words that he spoke over my husband & I…

The enemy has taken so many things from you, but God says get out your maps and dream again.

And that is when Heather lost it. Ugly cry, snot dripping all over my face COMPLETELY LOST IT. It felt like a literal dam had been unlocked in my heart and I didn’t know how to emotionally cope with all of the feelings that I was experiencing.

But God…. He knew. He knew that I was not okay. He saw into those deep, dark, shadowy corners of my heart. He was there all of the time, just waiting for the dam to break and for me to dig deeper into Him.

Mark & I will never forget that moment. The moment when our lives were beginning to change. That is what I needed all along. Change.

Change of location, because things back home reminded me of everything I had lost.

Change of circumstances, because I had grown accustomed to just “being” instead of truly LIVING.

But most importantly change of heart. I truly believe Abba changed the course of my life when He changed my heart at that retreat.

Fast forward to the summer of 2015. Mark was approached by our lead pastor about an opportunity to re-plant a church in Charleston, SC. This would be right up Mark’s ally, but forefront on his mind was the Gathering Place, our kids, and most importantly, me. I was always the one in our marriage who ran from change, and this would be a BIG change.

We had a conversation about it, and honestly, I was ready for that change because of what happened in my heart the spring of 2015. I was ready to say “yes” to where ever or what ever God wanted to do with our lives. Needless to say, Mark was shocked but ecstatic……& so was I! Now we just had to convince Easton & Elijah and that was very easy!

Hard decisions had to be made about the Gathering Place & in the end it was decided to close the doors. It was a very emotional time for all involved because we had poured our hearts into this for the past four years. Yet it was good.

I can’t count how many hours we drove to Charleston & back that summer. I cant tell you how many houses we looked at or how many tears we cried because new beginnings mean old endings. But I can tell you that God was so very good during that time. Mark and I often looked at each other and smiled because this move was just too easy.

We bought a house, unseen. {if you know anything about me… 😉 }

We transitioned into our new church family without a hitch. {next post}

Our kids absolutely LOVE Charleston!

“The enemy has taken so many things from you, but God says get out your maps and dream again.”

Thank you Jeremiah, for pouring into us at that retreat. Thank you Mark for loving me despite myself. Thank you God for redeeming my .

Comments

meet heather

Welcome! My name is Heather, author of especiallyheather. It is my desire that this space is a blessing to you & that you feel Christ's presence when you visit here, so pull up a chair & look around! I am excited you are here!

lets connect

stay up to date

categories

join me on instagram

more about heather

Welcome! My name is Heather, author of especiallyheather. It is my desire that this space is a blessing to you & that you feel Christ's presence when you visit here, so pull up a chair & look around! I am glad you're here! Read More…